Parents Nationwide Take Action to Protect Children's Privacy From Military Recruiters

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New film reveals devastating impact of aggressive military recruitment.

(PRWEB)September 6, 2005

Parents across the nation are taking action as part of the Leave My Child Alone Coalition's Back-to-School Opt Out month, just as a new film reveals the devastating impact of aggressive military recruitment on American families.

At over two hundred community events across America, parents are taking steps to opt their children from a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires public high schools to pass on lists of private student information to the military for recruitment purposes. At school board meetings, back to school events and meet ups in 37 states and in major US cities, parents are taking a stand to opt out.

"Opting out your kids from high school lists is the single most important action Americans can take to protect children from unwanted, sophisticated and aggressive military recruiting," said Michael Kieschnick, father of two and President of Working Assets. "The must see documentary-short Leave My Child Alone is a call to action for all parents. One simple letter could change your child's future."

Leave My Child Alone is screening at events all over the US this month and can be viewed on the web site http://www.leavemychildalone.org. The film includes interviews with Gold Star Mother Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was slain in Iraq in 2004, and shocking revelations from ex-recruiter and Gulf War veteran Jim Massey. "I really began to question the morality and ethics of the Marine Corps because they were asking me to lie, cheat, beg, borrow and steal for a contract," says Massey. "I recruited 75 contracts over a three year period. And out of that, 95 percent of them were fraudulently enlisted."

The film underscores the crucial importance of taking action against recruitment in our schools, and offers simple steps for those who wish to help their local school districts protect students from unwanted military recruitment.

In the four months since the Leave My Child Alone campaign began, over 86,000 citizens have taken action through the web site http://www.LeaveMyChildAlone.org. To date, the coalition has opted out over 15,000 students through online and grassroots efforts.

The National PTA has expressed concern about the privacy of student records and is supporting legislation from Congressman Mike Honda (HR551) that calls for an "Opt In" policy whereby private information is only given to recruiters if requested by families. The National Education Association (the NEA), representing 2.7 million educators in public schools, has passed a resolution calling on high schools to better protect students privacy.

For more information on their efforts and to see events near you this month, visit http://www.leavemychildalone.org. To arrange for an interview with a coalition member, a parent, or a teacher concerned about this issue, please contact Felicity Crush at 415-868-9576 or 415-686-6532, or Julie Pezzino at 212-245-0510.